New Tourism Accommodation Australia Board to Provide Highest Level of Advocacy for Hotel Industry
SYDNEY, AU. August 19, 2015 - A new high-level Board has been announced for Australia's peak accommodation body, Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA).
The announcement of the full Board follows the appointment last month of former Federal Government Tourism Minister, Martin Ferguson, as Chair of TAA.
The full board is:
· Martin Ferguson - Chair
· Peter Burnett - Australian Hotels Association National President
· David Seargeant - Group Managing Director, Amalgamated Holdings Limited
· Peter Crinis -COO - Crown Hotels and Food & Beverage
· Sean Hunt - Regional Vice President, Starwood Pacific Hotels
· Paul Hutton - Vice President Operations - Australasia, Hilton Worldwide
· Robert Dawson - Area Vice President, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts International Operations
· Bradley Woods - CEO AHA WA
· Carol Giuseppi - CEO TAA
Announcing the Board, TAA Chair, Martin Ferguson, said that it represented a mix of the sector's most prominent Australian and international hotel owners, investors, operators and industry representatives.
“The Board will be able to provide the strongest voice possible for the accommodation industry, offering exceptional experience, skills and insights,” said Mr Ferguson.
“TAA has strong representation and advocacy nationwide through its branches in each State and Territory, and the calibre of the Board will ensure that we are able to address the major issues confronting the industry through having a powerful presence in Canberra.”
Following the Board's meeting in Sydney this week, Mr Ferguson said that the Board's initial priorities would be
· workplace conditions inclusive of employment-inhibiting penalty rates;
· addressing barriers to sustainable accommodation growth and investment inclusive of the proliferation of unregulated short-term accommodation, increasing international marketing investment and reducing regulation; and
· addressing labour and skills shortages, with visa relaxation a high priority.
Contact:
Peter Hook,Communications Manager
TAA
+61 407 462213
peter@tourismaccommodation.com.au




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